Several references have reported highly substituted phenyls to be HMG CoA reductase inhibitors. Stokker et al., J. Med. Chem. 28 (1985), 347; Hoffman et al., J. Med. Chem. 29 (1986), 159; Stokker et al., J. Med. Chem. 29 (1986), 170; Stokker et al., J. Med. Chem. 29 (1986), 852; U.S. patent application 182,710, filed April 18, 1988. Such highly substituted phenyls are generally difficult to prepare because of a lack of regio control--i.e., an inability to selectively link substituents to the desired carbon atoms in the phenyl ring. The art would benefit from processes for preparing highly substituted phenyls in high yields.